--- title: "Raw Milk vs Pasteurized Milk: What the Evidence Says" url: https://waronfood.org/local-food/raw-vs-pasteurized-milk/ category: local-food type: article status: stable published: 2026-10-07 last_updated: 2026-10-07 summary: "An evidence-first look at raw milk: the reasons people want it, what pasteurization does to nutrients, the pathogen and H5N1 risks, who is most vulnerable, and the legal patchwork." description: "Raw milk vs pasteurized milk: why people choose raw, what pasteurization changes in nutrition, documented risks including H5N1, and how state laws differ." keyword: "raw milk vs pasteurized milk" attribution: "War on Food (waronfood.org)" --- # Raw Milk vs Pasteurized Milk: What the Evidence Says > Raw milk vs pasteurized milk: why people choose raw, what pasteurization changes in nutrition, documented risks including H5N1, and how state laws differ. ## Key takeaways - Pasteurization heats milk to kill pathogens; a systematic review found it lowers some vitamins slightly but has minimal effect on milk's overall nutritive value. - CDC lists Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, E. coli, Listeria, Brucella and Salmonella among the germs raw milk can carry. - In 2024, H5N1 bird flu was found in raw milk from infected dairy cows; FDA says standard pasteurization inactivates the virus. - Children under 5, adults over 65, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems face the highest risk of serious illness. - Federal rules ban interstate sale of raw milk for direct consumption; within states, rules range from retail sales to herdshares to outright bans. Raw milk is milk that hasn't been pasteurized, the heat treatment that kills disease-causing germs. Pasteurization changes milk's nutrition only slightly, according to a systematic review, while raw milk can carry pathogens such as Listeria, E. coli and Salmonella, and in 2024, H5N1 bird flu. The risk is highest for young children, older adults, pregnant women and the immunocompromised. Few food topics get as heated as raw milk. Supporters see it as a traditional food and a matter of personal choice. Public health agencies see a well-documented source of serious illness. Both sides are describing something real. This page sets out why people want raw milk, what the evidence says about nutrition and risk, and how the law works, so you can make an informed decision. ## Why do people choose raw milk? The reasons people give are worth taking seriously: - **Taste and texture.** Many drinkers prefer the flavor and the cream line of fresh, unhomogenized milk. - **Supporting small farms.** Raw milk is often sold directly by small dairies, sometimes as one of their few profitable products. - **Knowing the source.** Buyers often know the farmer, the herd and how the animals are fed. - **Choice.** For many people it's a principle: adults should be able to decide what they drink. - **Health beliefs.** Some people believe raw milk is more nutritious, easier to digest or protective against allergies. These claims are where the evidence matters most. ## What does pasteurization actually do? Pasteurization heats milk to a set temperature for a set time, then cools it. The goal is to kill pathogenic bacteria and viruses. CDC notes that since the early 1900s, pasteurization has greatly reduced milk-borne illness. Pasteurization is not the same as homogenization (breaking up fat so cream doesn't separate) or ultra-pasteurization. You can buy pasteurized milk that's unhomogenized, often from small dairies, if the cream line is what you're after. ## Does pasteurization destroy nutrients? Partly, but less than often claimed. A 2011 systematic review and meta-analysis in the *Journal of Food Protection* (Macdonald et al.) pooled 40 studies on vitamins: - Pasteurization was associated with lower levels of vitamins B1, B2, C and folate, and qualitatively lower B12 and E. - It showed no significant effect on vitamin B6, and vitamin A qualitatively increased. - The authors concluded the effect on milk's nutritive value was **minimal**, because many of these vitamins are naturally present in milk at relatively low levels. They flagged vitamin B2 (riboflavin) as worth further study, since milk is an important dietary source of it. FDA states plainly that pasteurization does not reduce milk's nutritional value, and CDC says pasteurized milk offers the same nutritional benefits without the risks of raw milk. **What we know:** Pasteurization kills the pathogens most often linked to milk-borne illness and inactivates H5N1 bird flu virus. It modestly lowers some vitamins, with minimal effect on milk's overall nutritional value. Raw milk has been linked to many foodborne illness outbreaks. **What's debated:** Whether raw milk consumption protects against allergies. The 2011 review found a possible protective association in six studies, but noted it may be confounded by other farm-related factors, such as growing up around animals. Whether people can catch H5N1 from drinking raw milk from infected cows is still being studied. **What isn't supported:** That raw milk prevents lactose intolerance (the review found no association in the one study available), that it prevents cancer (no association in two studies), or that raw milk can kill dangerous pathogens on its own. FDA also notes that both raw and pasteurized milk can cause allergic reactions in people sensitive to milk proteins. ## What are the risks of raw milk? CDC lists germs raw milk can carry, including **Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, E. coli, Listeria, Brucella and Salmonella**. These can contaminate milk even on clean, well-run farms, for example from an infected udder, from manure or from equipment. Good hygiene lowers the risk but can't reliably remove it. FDA notes that illness from contaminated milk can cause vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain, along with flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache and body aches. Some infections, such as certain E. coli strains, can lead to severe complications. ### H5N1 bird flu in raw milk In 2024, highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 spread among US dairy cattle, and infected cows shed the virus in their milk. FDA's ongoing investigation has found that standard high-temperature, short-time pasteurization inactivates the virus, and its testing of retail pasteurized dairy products found no viable virus. FDA has said it doesn't yet know whether people can be infected by drinking raw milk or raw-milk products from infected cows, and it continues to advise against raw milk. Research funded by FDA and New York State found that aging raw-milk cheese for 60 days or longer is not effective at eliminating viable H5N1. In late 2024, the California Department of Public Health secured a broad voluntary recall of one raw milk producer's milk and cream after bird flu virus was detected in retail samples. CDPH reported no confirmed human cases linked to the product. ## Who is at highest risk from raw milk? CDC identifies the groups most likely to get seriously ill: - **Children under 5** - **Adults over 65** - **Pregnant women**, because Listeria, which is often found in raw milk, can cause miscarriage or serious illness or death of the newborn, according to FDA - **People with weakened immune systems** FDA also notes that foodborne illness from raw milk especially affects children and teenagers. If you're buying for your family, that's the part of the decision that matters most. **Safety:** If you're pregnant, buying for young children, over 65 or immunocompromised, health agencies advise avoiding raw milk and raw-milk soft cheeses. Talk to your doctor if you have questions. If you choose raw milk anyway, buy from a farm that tests regularly, keep it cold, and watch for recalls and state advisories, especially while H5N1 is circulating in dairy herds. ## Is raw milk legal? It depends where you live. **Federal rule.** Under 21 CFR 1240.61, FDA requires that milk sold in interstate commerce for direct human consumption be pasteurized. A farm can't ship or sell raw milk to buyers in another state. **State rules.** Each state decides whether raw milk can be sold within its borders. The University of Maryland's Agriculture Law Education Initiative groups state approaches into broad categories: - **Retail sales permitted**, sometimes with a permit, so raw milk can appear in stores - **On-farm sales only**, licensed or unlicensed, depending on the state - **Herdshare or cowshare arrangements**, where you buy part ownership of an animal or herd and receive milk as an owner rather than a customer - **Complete bans** on raw milk sales for human consumption State laws change. Rather than rely on any count of states, check your state department of agriculture or health for current rules, including labeling, testing and where sales are allowed. ## How to think about the choice Wanting milk from a farm you know, produced the way you prefer, is a reasonable thing to want. The evidence is clear that pasteurization doesn't meaningfully reduce milk's nutritional value, and equally clear that raw milk carries a real risk of serious illness, higher for some people than others. Some people decide the taste and principle are worth that risk for themselves. Making the same decision for a toddler or during pregnancy is a different calculation. If what you're after is fresh, local, minimally processed milk, ask nearby dairies whether they sell pasteurized, unhomogenized milk. It keeps the local source and the cream line without the pathogen risk of raw milk. ## Where to go next For finding local dairies and what to ask them, see [how to buy food direct from farms](https://waronfood.org/local-food/buy-from-farms/). For another farm product with its own safety rules, see [how long farm fresh eggs last](https://waronfood.org/local-food/farm-fresh-eggs/), and if dairy is part of a farm subscription, see [what is a CSA](https://waronfood.org/local-food/what-is-a-csa/). For the policy side of how food rules get made, visit [food systems](https://waronfood.org/food-systems/), and for evidence checks on other nutrition claims, see [real food](https://waronfood.org/real-food/). ## FAQ **Is raw milk healthier than pasteurized milk?** The evidence doesn't show a meaningful nutritional advantage. A 2011 systematic review found pasteurization reduced some vitamins, but the effect on milk's nutritive value was minimal, and CDC says pasteurized milk offers the same nutritional benefits without the risks. **Can you get bird flu from raw milk?** H5N1 has been found in raw milk from infected cows, and California recalled raw milk products in late 2024 after detecting the virus. FDA has said it doesn't yet know whether people can be infected by drinking it, and that pasteurization inactivates the virus. **Does raw milk help with lactose intolerance or allergies?** A 2011 systematic review found raw milk wasn't associated with less lactose intolerance in the one study available. Some studies found a possible link with fewer allergies, but the authors noted it may be explained by other farm-related factors. **Is raw milk legal in the US?** Federal regulation (21 CFR 1240.61) bans selling raw milk across state lines for direct consumption. Each state sets its own rules for sales within the state, so check your state agriculture or health department. **What is a herdshare?** A herdshare is an arrangement where you buy part ownership of a cow, goat or herd and pay the farmer to care for it, receiving a share of the milk. Some states recognize herdshares explicitly; others prohibit or don't address them. ## Sources 1. [CDC — Raw Milk](https://www.cdc.gov/food-safety/foods/raw-milk.html) 2. [FDA — The Dangers of Raw Milk: Unpasteurized Milk Can Pose a Serious Health Risk](https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/dangers-raw-milk-unpasteurized-milk-can-pose-serious-health-risk) 3. [FDA — Investigation of Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Virus in Dairy Cattle](https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/investigation-avian-influenza-h5n1-virus-dairy-cattle) 4. [California Department of Public Health — State Secures Broad Voluntary Recall of Raw Milk and Cream (NR24-044)](https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/NR24-044.aspx) 5. [Macdonald et al., Journal of Food Protection (2011) — Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of pasteurization on milk vitamins](https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-10-269) 6. [University of Maryland Agriculture Law Education Initiative — The Raw Facts: State Laws Regulating Raw Milk](https://agrisk.umd.edu/post/the-raw-facts-let-s-talk-about-state-laws-regulating-raw-milk) --- Cite as: [Raw Milk vs Pasteurized Milk: What the Evidence Says](https://waronfood.org/local-food/raw-vs-pasteurized-milk/), War on Food (waronfood.org), last updated 2026-10-07.